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3 Sheets-Sheet i1.

(No Model.)

E. H. SMITH.

SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 14. 1896.

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,SE WING MACHINE.

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EARLE H. SMITH, OF NEX/V YORK, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,139, dated January 14, 1896.

Application ned .my 1, i891. serial No. 398,175. (No man T all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EARLE Il. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of y New York, have invented certain new and use f ul Improvements in Tax-Thread Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specication.

The annexed drawings show a machine which illustrates my invention, wherein- Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is an underneath view. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the reverse side of the machine and parts under the bed-plate. Fig. 4 is a front View partly in section. Fig. 4a is a detail of the presser-bar liftng device. Fig. 5 is a rear view as with balance-Wheel removed. Fig. G is a separate view of presser-bar lock and release. Fig. 7 is a face view of the shuttle and shuttle-race. Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the shuttle and thread-case, also exhibiting the shuttle-driver and pinion on the drivershaft. Fig. 9 is a reverse view of the threadcase and an edge view of the bobbin. Fig. 10 is a side view of thread-ease. Fig. 11 shows the awl-cam.

A indicates the bed-plate; B B', the bracketarm and post, in which arm is mounted the main driving-shaft C. The head LB2 of the arm contains the-presser-foot bar D and the needle-bar E, the latter operated from a crankdisk Z) on the front end of the shaft C in any usual manner, as by a crank and link. The needle operates in connection with a rotary shuttle having a variable motion.

vThe machine is also provided with a takeup, tensions, and a device for manipulating the needle-thread in consonance with the variably-rotating shuttle independently of the needle-bar. The shuttle is circular in form and adapted to rotate about its own axis. It is dishing in shape, while fiat on the front, and is arranged to revolve in a vertical plane in a circular raceway Il. The shuttle is rotated continuously, being driven around by a stud C set as a crank in a disk N, Figs. 2, -IL and 8, such driver always moving in one and the same direction. ln the present instance the shuttle is arranged so that its plane of rotation is transverse to the line of sewing. To operate the shuttle so arranged the driver-disk N is fixed on a short shaft O, here placed at right angles to the bracket-arm. Said shaft is provided With a pinion or gear wheel P made fast thereto. Motion is conveyed to the shuttle from the main shaft C through a second shaft, as R, operatively connected with the main shaft in any manner common to the art, and this second shaft R has a crank that operates gearing' mechanism between this shaft and the driver-shaft O, which mechanism engages the gear-wheel P thereon. The said second shaft R is here placed horizontally. When thus disposed, the means employed to convey motion thereto from the main shaft is a pitman connection S. As here made, it is fulcrumed to a radius-bar S2 pivoted to the arm-post B. The upper end is a strap or follower which encircles an eccentric I-I (or crank) on the main shaft, andthe lower end connects bya link a2 with a crank on the aforesaid second shaft R and so revolves it. The gearing mechanism intervening between said second shaft and the driver-shaft pinion consists in this instance of a shaft Q placed with the axis parallel to but out of line with the shaft R, which latter shaft is provided at one end with a grooved crank receiving the crankpin a4 of a crank a3 carried by shaft Q, thus producing a variable or differential motion in shaft Q, which is conveyed to the shuttle through shaft O by means of a gear-wheel Q on shaft Q that meshes into the pinion P, rotatin g the shaft O carrying the shuttle-driver.

The shuttle G, Figs. S, 9, and 10, carries a circular thread-case I centrally hung therein, and when the latter is inserted in the shuttle a pin Q3 made fast in the center of the shuttle enters said tube i freely, whereby the threadcase (and thread therein) is made independent of the rotary motion of the shuttle, and may be held at rest while the shuttle revolves. This is a new and important feature, no way having been heretofore devised of holding the thread-case still in a machine combining with a continuously-rotating shuttle, a needle, and an awl. The shuttle-threadv is led from the bobbin around a guide-post 9 at the lower side of the thread-case, thence to a projection g above, termed a finger, passing on its way under a spring bs for tension, and thence to the point of delivery, being a hole in the finger g and to the under side of the work, the thread thus coming out of the front ofthe IOO in which the awl-gate reciprocates. at the end of a swinging arm 7 and interposed between the arm 4 and the rear of the lever 5 is loosely attached to a knob-spindle 8, and by moving such spindle in a slot in the bed-plate the stitch can be lengthened or shortened, and the arrangement of the levers 3, 4, and 5 is such as to bring the awl directly under the needle (see Fig. 4I) when withdrawing from the work after its feeding action.

To hold the work down firmly by the presserfoot against the upward action ofthe threadlever and that of the awl, there is combined with the presser-bar a hold-fast, which is represented by an arm I2 jointed to a pawl /L'S engaging ratchet-teeth on the presser-bar. The pawl-arm I2 forms part of a rocker pivoted to the arm-head and operated from a cam-surface f' (dotted) on the crank-disk b acting on a roller-stud in a short arm t" made fast to pawl-arm I2. The pawl 3 is normally in engagement with the presser-bar, locking it fast, as shown. When the arm ri,obeying said camsurface, moves up, the pawl-arm swings back with its pawl, releasing the presser-bar.

Combined with the hold-fast for the presserfoot and means of releasing it mechanically, as aforesaid, I use a device for lifting the foot mechanically when advancing or feeding the work. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) For this purpose J is a rock-shaft, having at the front end a lifting-toe j', which takes under a clutch-lixture k', attached to the foot-bar and adjustable thereon. At the rear such rock-shaft has an arm m lying over the path of a peripheral cam n on the awl-cam C, which cam u' strikes the arm fm, turning the rock-shaft and operating the lifting-toe, which engages the fixture k by a pendent arm k2.

The means for lifting the presser-foot manually, before mentioned, are independent of the mechanical lifting thereof and involve a contrivance for first releasing the lock-lever. For this purpose the rock-shaft J is inclosed in a hollow shaft L. At the front end this hollow shaft has a cam-piecep' affixed, adapted to act on the projecting end of the branch 4 of the rocker I. Such cam-piece also has a pin o', here shown as set in the side thereof. On turning the shaft L the cam-piece p first acts on the rocker by depressing the branch 'i4 thereof, causing the pawl-arm I2 to swing back with its pawl and release the presserb2. This done the pin O next comes in contact with and turns up the lifting-toe j affixed to the rock-shaft J until such toe reaches the clutch-fixture t/.on the foot-bar and lifts the foot. The said hollow shaft is so turned for this purpose by an arm L2 at the rear for operation by hand. The arm also has a chain attached, or it may be a rod, for communicating with a treadle.

For heating the machine gas is preferred, as being cheap and convenient. The end here sought is to provide a plan simple of application and management.

The means of A roller applying the heat to every necessary part of the machine is embraced in three sections or branches, leading from a common source, each provided with its separate stop-cock, and all conveniently arranged for manipulation by the operator of the machine. P is the main trunk or supply from which a branch P2 extends to the neck of the arm B, where a tip or burner under the head B2 heats the tensions and parts in the head. Another branch P3 holds a burner under the wax-pot W and the third branch P4 goes down under the machine, reaching to and holding a burner q2 near the shuttle and awl-carrier. These places are all that need heating. The machine is hinged to its base B4, so that it can be swung back for access to the underneath parts. The waxpot is maintained stationary by attachment to a standard V made fast to said base. The gas comes to the main trunk through a iiexible arrangement of pipes, whereby the gas connections are not detached, but simply change their position to accommodate that of the machine when thus turned up or swung' over, as aforesaid, (illustrated in Fig. 4,) where the full and dotted lines respectively show the position taken by the flexure of the pipes.

I am aware that gas has been used as the heating medium in wax-thread machines, but the above arrangement of local heating at the three points named by means of the three independent bran ches, as described, each provided with a separate cut-o, provides all the heat necessary for the whole machine, while separate stop-cocks, as S,S2, and S3, enablethe operator to regulate or cut off the heat of each burner independently of its fellows.

I claim as my invention l. The combination, in a wax thread sewving machine, of a reciprocating needle, a rotary shuttle, aA puncturng awl, mechanism for separately operating the needle and awl, rotary motion devices imparting rotary motion to the shuttle in one direction only, and an independent non revolving thread-case in the shuttle.

2. The combination in a wax` thread machine, of a needle, a rotary shuttle, a puncturing awl, mechanism for separately operating the needle and awl, rotary motion devices for imparting a continuous rotary motion to the shuttle, an independent threadcase hung centrally in the shuttle, and means for holding the thread-case stationary, arranged to prevent the same from revolving with the shuttle, without interfering with the action of the awl.

3. The combination, in a wax thread sewin g machine, of a needle and awl arranged to enter the work from opposite sides thereof, mechanism for separately operating the needle and awl, a rotary shuttle, means for imparting a continuous motion to the shuttle, an independent thread-case in t-he shuttle, a stop on the thread case, and removable means for holding the thread-case stationary, arranged IOO IIO

to prevent the 4same from revolving with the shuttle Without interfering with the movements of the needle and aWl.

4. The-combination in a Wax thread sewing maohine,of aneedle, a rotary shuttle, apuncturing awl moving in line With the needle, an independent thread case in the shuttle and a finger, as g thereon, for delivering the shuttle thread 'to the Work above and clear of the shuttle7s point While holding such thread out of the Way of the needle and aWl.

5. The combination in a Wax thread sewing machine, of a continuously rotating shuttle provided -with an independent thread-case having a thread delivery nger and stop-rib thereon, a needle and aWl reciprocating at one side of said finger, and a check-bar for holding the thread-case stationary disposed on the other side of such'fingerand stop-rib,whereby the awl and needle are prevented from interfering With the shuttle thread, and the thread finger and check-bar do not interfere with the needle and aWl.

6. The combination in a Wax-thread machine of a needle, a puncturing awl, constituting a feeding device, a rotary shuttle arranged to revolve in a vertical plane Vat right angles to the line ofthe feed motion, an independent threadcase in the shuttle Whose thread delivery is from a finger onthe front side of theshuttle and a check bar that prevents the thread-case Jfrom revolving, said feeding device arranged to move towardrthe shuttle in feeding the Work.

7. The combination in a Wax-thread machine of a needle and needle-bar operated from the main shaft, a separately operated punctnring avvl, a shuttle driver and shuttle rotating in a vertical plane and ceo-operating with the needle, means of feeding the Work transverse to the plane of rotation of the shuttle, a second shaft as R rotated `from the main shaft at the rear, a short shaft at the front of the machine carrying the shuttle driver, a pinion -on this driver shaft, gearing to match thesaid pinion, and mechanismoperated by the second shaft aforesaid, and engaging the said gearing and pinion to .give avariable rotary motion vto the shuttle, and a thread lever for 'handling the needle thread in consonance With the variable motion of the shuttle.

8. In a Wa-X thread sewing machine the combination of aneedle, a Work support, a puncturing and feeding aWl Working from lbeneath it, mechanism .for separately operating the needle and aWl, a presser foot to hold the work down, a rotative shuttle, mechanism imparting to lthe shuttle a continuons and variable motion, .a thread lever which delivers needle thread to the shuttle and ldraws it into the Work, the self acting locking andI releasing lever Which holds down the foot against the upward force of the aWl and that of the thread lever-in drawing in the stitch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I havevsigned my name in presence of two witnesses.

EARLE IfI. SMITH. XVitnesses:

R. T. VAN BosKERcK, K. T. OBRIEN. 

